Early rail tracks were built by independent railway companies so the idea of connecting tracks on the two sides of the Danube did not rise until the late 19th century. The first step was taken in 1872 to build a railway bridge over the river. The winning candidate was a French company and construction started the same year. The double tracked bridge was finished by October, 1877. Aesthetic aspect was not of top priority as it was built far beyond inhabited areas at the time.

The structure of the bridge was strengthened in 1879-99, however, due to increasing traffic and newly detected insufficiencies of materials and corrosion a complete reconstruction was needed. Construction with traffic maintained posed a great challenge to engineers. Finally, a new bridge with a double track was built on the lengthened piers meanwhile the old bridge remained in use (1910-13). Demolishing the old bridge began the same year but WW1 caused a delay until 1924.

The new bridge was damaged twice during WW2 air raids but it was repaired. However, on December 31, 1944 it shared the fate of the other bridges of Budapest and was demolished by retreating German troops. Although Soviet troops constructed a single track temporary bridge there was an urgent need for a permanent bridge due to the danger that floods and ice jams posed. As there was a great shortage of metal a semi-permanent bridge was built with a single track.

Metal structure was built using K elements developed during the 1930s. These elements are named after their shape. Even today Budapest has a bridge of this kind connecting Óbuda and Óbuda Island called “K Bridge”. The piers had to be partly reconstructed as explosion destroyed them above water level and also technologically even the original height was to low for the plans. The bridge opened in October, 1946.

Meanwhile the reconstruction of the other side of the piers also finished so construction of the permanent bridge could start. The southern side of the twin structure was finished in 1948 and the northern side that replaced the K bridge opened in 1953. Material gained from K bridge was later used when building Railway Bridge of Újpesti. A footpath was also built then, which remained in use until Rákóczi Bridge opened in 1995.